Caulking tube plug

ABSTRACT

A plug for sealing the Open top end of the nozzle of a tube of caulking includes a cylindrical shaft, a head on the top end of the shaft, and a plurality of inverted cone-shaped segments on the shaft. The segments have top ends with diameters of which increase step-wise from the bottom of the shaft to the top thereof.

This invention relates to a plug for a caulking tube, and, in particular to a plug for the nozzle of a tube of caulking.

There are a large number of examples of caulking tube caps or plugs described in the patent and laid open application literature. In this connection, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,146 issued to D.C. Isgriggs et al on Jul. 6, 1965; U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,635 issued to David E. Brookhart on Jun. 2, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,601 issued to Richard F. Bostelman on Mar. 22, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,956 issued to Christopher A. Keith on Apr. 20, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,051 issued to Richard A. Iverson on Apr. 23, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,597 issued to. William F. Cermak, III on Nov. 19, 2002 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,972 issued to Thomas M. Knestout on Feb. 11, 2003. The patented devices are either simple plugs or plugs with small barbs or threads for extracting hardened caulking from a nozzle of a tube containing the caulking. The present invention provides an improved plug for a caulking tube nozzle, which both effectively seals the open end of a nozzle and ensures the removal of dried caulking from the nozzle.

According to one aspect, the caulking tube plug of the present invention includes an elongated cylindrical shaft, a head on one end of the shaft for facilitating manual manipulation of the plug, and a plurality of inverted truncated cone-shaped segments, including a first, lower segment having a top end with a first diameter; a plurality of intermediate segments having bottom ends with diameters smaller than the first diameter and top ends with diameters similar to each other and the same as or larger than the first diameter; and at least one third, upper segment having a bottom end with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the top ends of the intermediate segments, and a top end larger than the diameters of the top ends of the intermediate segments:

Preferred embodiments of the plug are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a caulking tube plug in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the plug of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the plug of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the plug of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIGS. 5 to 7 are schematic side views of the plug of FIGS. 1 to 4 in use positions in the nozzle of a tube of caulking;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the caulking tube plug of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the plug of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 10 to 12 are schematic side views of the plug of FIGS. 8 and 9 in use positions in a nozzle; and

FIG. 13 is a side view of a third embodiment of the caulking tube plug of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a preferred embodiment of the caulking tube plug of the present invention includes an elongated, cylindrical shaft 1 with a large disc-shaped head 2 at the top end thereof. It will be appreciated that the head 2 functions as a handle for manual manipulation of the plug.

A plurality of inverted truncated cone-shaped segments 3, 4 and 5 are provided on the shaft 1. The segments 3, 4 and 5 are integral with the shaft 1. The shaft 1, head 2 and segments 3, 4 and 5 are formed by injection molding.

The lower segment 3 has a hemispherical lower, free end 6 for facilitating insertion of the plug into the top end 8 of a nozzle 9 (FIGS. 5 to 7) of a caulking tube 10. The top end 11 of the lower segment 3 has a smaller diameter than the top ends 12 of the intermediate segments 4, which have smaller diameters than the top ends 14 of the upper segments 5. The top ends 12 of the segments 4 all have the same diameter as each other, and the top ends 14 of the segments 5 all have the same diameters as each other. The bottom ends 15 of the intermediate segments 4 have smaller diameters than the diameter of the top end 11 of the bottom segment 3, and the bottom ends 16 of the upper segments 5 have diameters smaller than the diameter of the top ends 12 of the intermediate segments 4.

Typically, the plug of the present invention has a length of one and one-half inches; however, the plug can be longer or shorter depending upon the length of the caulking tube nozzle 9. The diameter of the head 2 is approximately one inch and the diameters of the shaft 1 beneath the head 2, the bottom ends 16 of the upper segments 5, and the top end 11 of the segments are all 0.187 inch. The diameter of each top ends 14 of the segments 5 is approximately 0.28 inch, and the diameter of the top end of each intermediate segment 4 is 0.218 inch. The diameter of the lower segment 3 immediately above the hemispherical bottom end is 0.156 inch.

Referring to. FIGS. 5 to 7, the length of typical currently available caulking tube nozzles 9 is approximately three and one-half inches and the diameter at the bottom end 14 of the nozzle is five-eighths of an inch. The nozzle 9 tapers gently upwardly to the more sharply tapered top end 8, which is cone-shaped. In order to dispense caulking from the caulking tube 10, the first step is to cut off, the top end 8 of the nozzle 9, usually at an angle to the longitudinal axis thereof. The cut is made at a distance from the top end 8 of the nozzle 9 dependent upon the width of the desired bead of caulking. As shown in FIG. 5, when the cut is close to the top end 8 of the nozzle 9, there is a small diameter opening through which caulking is dispensed. Following a caulking operation, the plug is inserted into the nozzle 9 until the top end 8 of the nozzle abuts the lowermost of the intermediate segments 4.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the cut is made at a location further down the nozzle 9, insertion of the plug will continue until the lowermost of the upper segments 5 abuts the open top end 8 of the nozzle. If there is a still larger opening in the top end 8 of the nozzle 9, the plug is pushed into the nozzle until the bottom 18 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the head 2 engages the open top end 8 of the nozzle 9.

When the plug is removed from the nozzle 9, the ledge defined by the top end 11 of the lower segment 3, the ledges defined by the top ends 12 of the intermediate segments 4 or the ledges defined by the top ends 14 of the upper segments 5, ensure that any plug of caulking in the upper end of the nozzle 9 is removed.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 12, a second embodiment of the invention is similar to the first embodiment except that it includes greater number of segments and a slightly different bottom end.

As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the second embodiment of the caulking tube plug of the present invention includes an elongated, cylindrical shaft 21 with a large disc-shaped head 22 at the top end thereof. It will be appreciated that the head 22 functions as a handle for manual manipulation of the plug.

A plurality of inverted, truncated cone-shaped segments 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 are provided on the shaft 21. The segments 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 are integral with the shaft 21. The shaft 21 head 22 and segments 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 are formed by injection molding.

The lower segment 23 has a hemispherical bottom, free end 27′, for facilitating insertion of the plug into the top end 8 of the nozzle 9 (FIGS. 10 to 12) of a caulking tube 10. The top end 28 of the lower segment 23 has the same diameter as the top ends 29 of the first set of intermediate segments 24. The top ends 28 and 29 of the segments 23 and 24 have smaller diameters than the top ends 30 of the segments 25. The top ends 30 of the intermediate segments 25 all have the same diameters as each other. The bottom ends 32 of the segments 24 have smaller diameters than the diameter of the top end 28 of the lower segment 23, and the bottom ends 33 of the segments 25 have diameters smaller than the diameters of the top ends of the segments 24. The diameters of the top ends 35 of the third set of intermediate segments 26 are the same as each other and greater than the top ends 30 of the segments 25, and the diameter of the top end 36 of the upper segment 27 is greater than the diameters of the top ends of the segments 26.

The second embodiment of the plug of the present invention has a length of one and three-quarter inches; however, as mentioned hereinbefore, the plug can be longer or shorter depending upon the length of the caulking tube nozzle 9. The diameter of the cap 22 is approximately 0.687 inch. The diameter of the top end 28 of the segment 23 and the top end 29 of each of the segments 24 is approximately 0.187 inch, the diameter of the top end 30 of each segment 25 is 0.218 inch. The diameter of the top end of each segment 26 is approximately 0.281 inch, and the diameter of the top end of the segment 27 is approximately 0.315 inch.

With reference to FIG. 13, a third embodiment of the invention includes an elongated, cylindrical shaft 40 with a large disc-shaped head 41 at the top end thereof. A conical segment 42 forms the bottom end of the shaft 40. Small, sharp, annular, sawtooth ridges indicated collectively at 43 are provided along the entire length of the segment 42. The conical segment 42, which is preferably 0.50 inch long and 0.25 inch in diameter at its top end 44, is required for plugging the ends of small diameter nozzles on tubes of, for example, silicone caulking.

A plurality of inverted, truncated cone-shaped segments 46, 47 and 48 are provided on the shaft 40 between the head 41 and the conical segment 42. The segments 46, 47 and 48 are integral with the shaft 40, the shaft, head and all segments being formed by injection molding. The diameter of the top end 49 of the lower segment 46 is the same as that of the top end 44 of the conical segment 42. The bottom end 50 of the lower segment 46 is the same as the diameter of the shaft 40 which is preferably 0.187 inch.

The next three intermediate segments 47 have the same shapes and dimensions. Preferably the top end 52 of each intermediate segment 47 has a diameter of 0297 inch. The top end 53 of the upper segment 48 has a preferred diameter of 0.344 inch. The bottom ends 55 and 56 of each of the segments 47 and 48, respectively is smaller than the diameter of the segment immediately below it.

In summary, the plug of the present invention not only effects a tight seal of different diameter holes in the top ends of the nozzles of caulking tubes, but removes residual caulking in the top ends of the nozzles ensuring free flowing of the remaining caulking in the tubes. 

1. A plug for sealing an open top end of a nozzle of a tube of caulking comprising an elongated cylindrical shaft, a head on one end of the shaft for facilitating manual manipulation of the plug; and a plurality of inverted truncated cone-shaped segments on the shaft, including a first, lower segment having a top end with a first diameter; a plurality of intermediate segments having bottom ends with diameters smaller than the first diameter and top ends with diameters similar to each other and the same as or larger than the first diameter; and at least one third, upper segment having a bottom end with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the top ends of the intermediate segments, and a top end larger than the diameters of the top ends of the intermediate segments.
 2. The plug of claim 1 including a conical segment extending downwardly from the bottom end of said lower segment, said conical segment, having a plurality of alternating annular ridges and grooves, and a top end with a diameter the same as the diameter of the top end of said lower segment.
 3. The plug of claim 2, wherein the diameter of the top end of each of the lower and conical segments is 0.25 inch.
 4. The plug of claim 3, wherein the diameters of the top end of each said intermediate segment is 0.297 inch and the diameters of each said upper segment is 0.344 inch.
 5. The plug of claim 1, wherein said lower segment includes a hemispherical bottom, free end for facilitating insertion of the plug into the caulking tube nozzle.
 6. The plug of claim 5, including first and second sets of said intermediate segments between said lower and upper segments, the first set of intermediate segments having top ends with diameters greater than the diameter of the top end of the lower segment, and bottom ends with diameters less than the diameter of the top end of said lower segment, and the second set of intermediate segment having top ends with diameters great than the top ends of the first set of intermediate segments and smaller than the diameter of the top end of the upper segment, and bottom ends smaller than the diameters of the top ends of said first set of intermediate segments. 